To Feel Alive: The Battered and Broken
by hoOPJO
Summary: "Percy, no!" Annabeth screeched, trying desperately to pull him along, though he didn't waver. "Go, Annabeth! Luke, Grover, I'll be right behind you!" He shoved his bag into Luke's hands before un-sheathing a dagger. "Hey, over here!" He yelled, moving the monsters away. This is the tale of how Percy Jackson made his last stand on Half-blood hill, then came back to life.
1. Chapter 1

_"Percy, no!" Annabeth screeched, trying desperately to pull him along, though he didn't waver. "Go, Annabeth! Luke, Grover, I'll be right behind you!" He shoved his bag into Luke's hands before un-sheathing a dagger. "Hey, over here!" He yelled, moving the monsters away._ **This is the tale of how Percy Jackson made his last stand on Half-blood hill, then came back to life.**

* * *

><p>"It feels like he's dying all over again." Her voice was shaky and she was gazing at the yellow pine needles gathering on the ground in despair. Her hand rest on one of the twisted roots that was close to the base. That root used to be Percy's arm, until he was turned into a pine tree by his father, Poseidon.<p>

"Who would do this?" She breathed, a tear racing down her cheek and a few strands of her singed blond hair stick to the very same cheek, wet with blood and tears.

"Luke poisoned the tree." A voice rang out. The voice was feminine but scorched, as if she drank liquid fire.

"Thalia." Annabeth murmured, relieved. Annabeth put a small pine tree branch, which was wrapped in a handkerchief, into the left pocket of her sweatshirt and ran to greet her friend. She gave her a quick hug before helping her limping friend stay on her feet by wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Yay, your still alive." Clarisse's sarcastic voice was heard. Thalia limped forward towards Chiron, either oblivious to her comment, or ignoring the Daughter of Ares.

"Well, I'm not the only one." she raised her voice so everyone could hear.

"Luke let the bull in. Without the tree's barrier, he figures there are enough demigods and demi-titans to get him what he wants." she leaned heavily on Annabeth, desperately trying to stay upright.

"And what would that be, exactly?" Clarisse asked, turning to Chiron. The centaur spoke, but his voice sounded distant and weary.

"Our annihilation, Ms. La Rue, our annihilation." he stared at a small vile of the blue poison, deep in thought.

* * *

><p>Clarisse held the fleece in her outstretched arms before gently laying it on the base of the tree. The fleece was over a siolette of a figure. A boy. A man. A hero. Percy. everyone smiled and took a step back as the pine needles collected and floated upwards. The fields were greener, the flowers un-withered. A shockwave of blue light fanned across the camp. The campers cheered, all except one. Annabeth. The crowd silenced as Annabeth took out the last branch from her pocket with shaky hands. She unwrapped it and held it to her heart while looking upwards at the tree branches.<p>

"Im so so sorry, percy. For everything." She whispered, before out stretching her hand skywards and letting the branch find its place.

The branch twirled elegantly before landing on a hold high above. When it connected, a wave of blue light pulsed down the tree and when it reached the roots, it rolled off in waves with the smell of pine. Annabeth smiled faintly before bending down and crouching next to the base of the tree.

"Is that your way of saying I'm forgiven? I am not deserving of your forgiveness. I-I-I am a coward. I ran, Percy, when you needed help." A single tear trailed her right cheek as she closed her eyes.

She held a hand to the trunk to keep from falling over and leaned forward. Just about eye level, she kissed the bark. Nobody was prepared for what happened next.

* * *

><p>A last pulse of a blue aurora blasted everyone off there feet and sent Annabeth back a few yards. Pulses of energy came from the magical tree in waves. A sharp intake of breath was heard.<p>

"Brave." It was a single word that changed everything.

"You are brave. You need not apologize, for I never blamed you, so don't blame yourself. You are not a coward. Remember that, will you? Please."

As pine needles hovered in the air, everyone stared at the base of the tree.

"Percy."

Percy hauled himself into a sitting position, then heaved himself to his feet, leaning heavily on a low branch. Everyone was silent. They all stared at Percy, the girls mostly drooling.

"What?" He whispered. "I'm back from the dead and I don't even get a hug?"

Nobody saw her move, but the next second Percy was sent sprawling as Annabeth sobbed into his chest.

* * *

><p>Percy stood to my right, as always in his punk attire—a black leather jacket, sea green tee, ripped black skinny jeans, and an army tag around his neck. A slim piece of jade made into a bracelet was clasped to his wrist with his pen linked to it, and his intense green eyes stared coldly at the entry hall they currently stood in.<p>

Annabeth stood on my left, wearing light blue skinny jeans and silver high-tops. A black Windbreaker was unzipped and showed the alight grey tank top underneath. Her curly blond hair was pulled into a grey ski cap.

I stood in between the two.

My hair was as black as the midnight sky, cascading down my back in elegant waves. My electric blue eyes were heavily done with eyeliner. I wore black leggings, combat boots, a Camp Half-Blood tee, blue ski cap, and a black army jacket with the buttons done up.

We three we were currently being interrogated by the Westover Hall Principal and Vice Principal. And we were about to get thrown in the snow when Percy snapped his fingers and something...changed in the teachers, the later looked at his colleague. Great. We were dead. "Ms. Gottschalk, do you know these students?"

Despite the danger we were in, I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. A teacher named Got Chalk? He had to be kidding.

The woman blinked, like someone had just woken her up from a trance. "I... yes. I believe I do, sir." She frowned at us. "Annabeth. Thalia. Percy. What are you doing away from the gymnasium?"

I could feel the teachers' eyes on my back as we slipped away, but I walked closely to Percy and asked in a low voice, "How did you do that finger-snap thing?"

"You mean the Mist? Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet?"

An uncomfortable lump formed in my throat. Chiron was our head trainer at camp, but he'd never shown me anything like that. Why had he shown Percy and not me?

* * *

><p>"Who's the monster?" Percy asked, when we were finally in the Gymnasium.<p>

"Oh," Grover said, and looked around nervously. "You just met him. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn."

Weird thing about military schools: the kids go absolutely nuts when there's a special event and they get to be out of uniform. I guess it's because everything's so strict the rest of the time, they feel like they've got to overcompensate or something.

There were black and red balloons all over the gym floor, and guys were kicking them in each others faces, or trying to strangle each other with the crepe-paper streamers taped to the walls. Girls moved around in football huddles, the way they always do, wearing lots of makeup and spaghetti-strap tops and brightly colored pants and shoes that looked like torture devices. Every once in a while they'd surround some poor guy like a pack of piranhas, shrieking and giggling, and when they finally moved on, the guy would have ribbons in his hair and a bunch of lipstick graffiti all over his face. Some of the older guys looked more—uncomfortable, hanging out at the edges of the gym and trying to hide, like any minute they might have to fight for their lives. Of course, in my case, it was true...

"There they are." Grover nodded toward a couple of younger kids arguing in the bleachers, referring to the two half-bloods they had come to recruit. "Bianca and Nico Di Angelo."

The girl wore a floppy green cap, like she was trying to hide her face. The boy was obviously her little brother. They both had dark silky hair and olive skin, and they used their hands a lot as they talked. The boy was shuffling some kind of trading cards. His sister seemed to be scolding him about something. She kept looking around like she sensed something was wrong.

Annabeth said, "Do they... I mean, have you told them?"

Grover shook his head. "You know how it is. That could put them in more danger. Once they realize who they are, their scent becomes stronger."

"So let's grab them and get out of here," I said.

I started forward, but Percy put his hand on my shoulder. The vice principal, Dr. Thorn, had slipped out of a doorway near the bleachers and was standing near the Di Angelo siblings. He nodded coldly in our direction. His blue eye seemed to glow.

Judging from his expression, I guessed Thorn hadn't been fooled by Percy's trick with the Mist after all. He suspected who we were. He was just waiting to see why we were here.

"Don't look at the kids," Percy ordered. "We have to wait for a chance to get them. We need to pretend we're not interested in them. Throw him off the scent."

"How?"

"We're three powerful half-bloods. Our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids."

"Dancing?" Annabeth asked.

Percy nodded. He cocked his ear to the music and made a face. "Ugh. Who chose the Jesse McCartney?"

Grover looked hurt. "I did."

"Grover, can't you play, like, Green Day or something?"

"Green who?"

"Never mind. Go dance."

"But I can't dance!"

"You can if Annabeth's leading," Percy said. "Go on, goat boy."

Grover yelped as Annabeth grabbed his hand and led him onto the dance floor.  
>Percy smiled.<p>

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. It's just cool to be back."

He pulled off his ski cap, a deep green where Annabeth's was a deep gray, and his unkept hair flopped down lazily, framing his face. It made him look older, for some reason.

"So..." I tried to think of something to say. Act natural, Percy had told us. When you're a half-blood on a dangerous mission, what the heck is natural? "Um, find any sea animals lately?"

Percy's eyes lit up, the way they always did when he talked about Sea creatures.

"Oh my gods, Thalia. At my new school, I get to take marine biology as an elective, and there's this cool computer program..."

He went on to explain how he'd researched this a colorful bread of fish that he wanted to get Annabeth to build a tank for in Manhattan so he could put a small aquarium in his cabin. He talked about the different bones and colors and stuff, and I tried to listen. I knew he wanted to be a super kinda aquaman when he grew up—he loves sea creatures and has water powers and all that—but I hardly understood a word he was saying.

The truth was I was kind of disappointed to hear that he liked his new school so much. It was the first time he'd gone to school in New York. I'd been hoping to see him more often. It was a boarding school in Brooklyn, and he and Annabeth were both attending, close enough to Camp Half-Blood that Chiron could help if they got in any trouble. Because it was a high-honors school, and I was not smart enough for that and I was in Manhattan, I hardly ever saw them.

"Yeah, uh, cool," I said. "So you're staying there the rest of the year, huh?"

His face grew dark. "I might go back to camp, since my mo-" he was cut off by Annabeth.

"Hey!" She called to us. She was slow dancing with Grover, who was tripping all over himself, kicking her in the shins, and looking like he wanted to die. At least his feet were fake. Unlike me, he had an excuse for being clumsy.

"Dance, you guys!" She ordered. "You look stupid just standing there."

I looked nervously at Percy, then at the groups of boys who were in the corners of the gym.

"Well?" Percy said.

"Um, who should I ask?"

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand.

"Air Head."He muttered

He pulled me into a slow dance position on the dance floor, and I realized we were about to dance. My eyes widened but I didn't pull away.

I'll admit it. I have a tiny, _tiny_, crush on Percy despite my small, _small_, resentment. I clasped both my hands around his neck, and he placed his hands on my hips.

"I'm not going to bite," he told me.

"Honestly, Thalia. Don't you guys have dances at your school?"

I didn't answer. The truth was we did. But I'd never, like, actually danced at one. I was usually one of the girls playing basketball in the corner against the guys. And winning.

We shuffled around for a few minutes. I tried to concentrate on little things, like the crepe-paper streamers and the punch bowl—anything but the fact that Percy was taller than me, and my hands were sweaty and probably gross, and I kept stepping on his toes.

"So... you'll go back to living at camp or staying your school?"

"It's more serious than that, Thalia. I... I probably should tell you something." Suddenly he froze.

"They're gone."

"What?"

I followed his gaze. The bleachers.

The two half-blood kids, Bianca and Nico, were no longer there. The door next to the bleachers was wide open. Dr. Thorn was nowhere in sight.


	2. Chapter 2

"We have to get Annabeth and Grover!" Percy looked around frantically. "Oh, where'd they dance off to? Come on!"

He ran through the crowd. I was about to follow when a mob of girls got in my way. I maneuvered around them to avoid getting the ribbon-and-lipstick treatment, and by the time I was free, Percy had disappeared. I turned a full circle, looking for him or Annabeth and Grover. Instead, I saw something that chilled my blood.

About fifty feet away, lying on the gym floor, was a floppy green cap just like the one Bianca di Angelo had been wearing. Near it were a few scattered trading cards. Then I caught a glimpse of Dr. Thorn. He was hurrying out a door at the opposite end of the gym, steering the Di Angelo kids by the scruffs of their necks, like kittens.

I still couldn't see Percy, but I knew he'd be heading the other way, looking for Annabeth and Grover.

I almost ran after him, and then I thought, Wait.

I remembered what Percy had said to me in the entry hall, looking at me all puzzled when I asked about the finger-snap trick: Hasn't Chiron shown you how to do that yet? I thought about the way Grover had turned to him, expecting him to save the day.

Not that I resented Percy. He was cool. It wasn't his fault his dad was Poseidon and he got all the attention… Still, I didn't need to run after him to solve every problem. Besides, there wasn't time. The Di Angelos were in danger. They might be long gone by the time I found my friends. I knew monsters. I could handle this myself

I rubbed aegis and ran after Dr. Thorn.

The door led into a dark hallway. I heard sounds of scuffling up ahead, then a painful grunt. I opened my shield and grabbed my spear.

The items grew in my hands until I held an electric spear with a leather-bound grip and a silver shield with the head of medusa pressed into the metal. It was as scary as the real thing. The shield glowed faintly, casting a silver light on the rows of lockers.

I jogged down the corridor, but when I got to the other end, no one was there. I opened a door and found myself back in the main entry hall. I was completely turned around. I didn't see Dr. Thorn anywhere, but there on the opposite side of the room were the Di Angelo kids. They stood frozen in horror, staring right at me.

I advanced slowly, lowering my shield. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

They didn't answer. Their eyes were full of fear. What was wrong with them? Where was Dr. Thorn? Maybe he'd sensed the presence of aegis and retreated. Monsters hated the magic the shield gave off.

"My name's Thalia," I said, trying to keep my voice level. "I'm going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe."

Bianca's eyes widened. Her fists clenched. Only too late did I realize what her look meant. She wasn't afraid of me. She was trying to warn me.

I whirled around and something went WHI1ISH! Pain exploded in my shoulder. A force like a huge hand yanked me backward and slammed me to the wall.

I slashed with my spear but there was nothing to hit.

A cold laugh echoed through the hall.

"Yes, Thalia Grace" Dr. Thorn said. His accent mangled the G in my last name. "I know who you are."

I tried to free my shoulder. My coat and shirt were pinned to the wall by some kind of spike—a black dagger-like projectile about a foot long. It had grazed the skin of my shoulder as it passed through my clothes, and the cut burned. I'd felt something like this before. Poison.

I forced myself to concentrate. I would not pass out.

A dark silhouette now moved toward us. Dr. Thorn stepped into the dim light. He still looked human, but his face was ghoulish. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes reflected the light of my shield.

"Thank you for coming out of the gym," he said. "I hate middle school dances."

I tried to swing my spear again, but he was just out of reach.

WHIIIISH! A second projectile shot from somewhere behind Dr. Thorn. He didn't appear to move. It was as if someone invisible were standing behind him, throwing knives.

Next to me, Bianca yelped. The second thorn impaled itself in the stone wall, half an inch from her face.

"All three of you will come with me," Dr. Thorn said. "Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accuratey I can throw."

* * *

><p>I didn't know what kind of monster Dr. Thorn was, but he was fast.<p>

Maybe I could defend myself if I could get my shield activated again as it had deactivated a while back when I dropped it. I was happy it had a charm to return to me when it was lost. All that it would take was a touch of my bracelet. But defending the Di Angelo kids was another matter. I needed help, and there was only one way I could think to get it.

I closed my eyes.

"What are you doing, Grace?" hissed Dr. Thorn. "Keep moving!"

I opened my eyes and kept shuffling forward. "It's my shoulder," I lied, trying to sound miserable, which wasn't hard. "It burns."

"Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you. Walk!"

Thorn herded us outside, and I tried to concentrate. I pictured Grover's face. I focused on my feelings of fear and danger. Last summer, Grover had created an empathy link between us. He'd sent me visions in my dreams to let me know when he was in trouble. As far as I knew, we were still linked, but I'd never tried to contact Grover before. I didn't even know if it would work while Grover was awake.

_Hey, Grover_! I thought. _Thorn's kidnapping us! He's a poisonous spike-throwing maniac! Help_!

Thorn inarched us into the woods. We took a snowy path dimly lit by old-fashioned lamplights. My shoulder ached. The wind blowing through my ripped clothes was so cold that I felt like a Thalsicle.

"There is a clearing ahead," Thorn said. "We will summon your ride."

"What ride?" Bianca demanded. "Where are you taking us?"

"Silence, you insufferable girl!"

"Don't talk to my sister that way.'" Nico said. His voice quivered, but I was impressed that he had the guts to say anything at all.

Dr. Thorn made a growling sound that definitely wasn't human. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking and pretend I was being a good little captive. Meanwhile, I projected my thoughts like crazy—anything to get Grover's attention: _Grover! Apples! Tin cans! Get your furry goat behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends_!

"Halt," Thorn said.

The woods had opened up. We'd reached a cliff overlooking the sea. At least, I heard the sea down there, hundreds of feet below. I could hear the waves churning and I could smell the cold salty froth. But all I could see was mist and darkness.

Dr. Thorn pushed us toward the edge. I stumbled, and Bianca caught me. "Thanks," I murmured.  
>"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?"<br>"I... I'm working on it."

"I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something—a little metal toy soldier of some kind.

"Stop talking!" Dr. Thorn said. "Face me!"

We turned.

Thorn's two-tone eyes glittered hungrily. He pulled something from under his coat. At first I thought it was a switchblade, but it was only a phone. He pressed the side button and said, "The package—it is ready to deliver."

There was a garbled reply, and I realized Thorn was in walkie-talkie mode. This seemed way too modern and creepy—a monster using a mobile phone.

I glanced behind me, wondering how far the drop was.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "By all means, Daughter of Zeus. The Son of Poseidon is just inside. Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself."

"What did he call you?" Bianca muttered. "I'll explain later," I said.  
>"You do have a plan, right?"<br>_Grover! _I thought desperately. _Come to me!_

Maybe I could get both the Di Angelos to jump with me into the ocean. We can survive the fall if I wrapped a layer of air around us to breath. I could use the air to protect us. I'd done things like that before. If my dad was in a good mood, and listening, he might help. Maybe.

"I would kill you before you ever reached the water," Dr. Thorn said, as if reading my thoughts. "You do not realize who I am, do you?"

A flicker of movement behind him, and another missile whistled so close to me that it nicked my ear. Something had sprung up behind Dr. Thorn—like a catapult, but more flexible... almost like a tail.

"Unfortunately," Thorn said, "you are wanted alive, if possible. Otherwise you would already be dead."

"Who wants us?" Bianca demanded. "Because if you think you'll get a ransom, you're wrong. We don't have any family. Nico and I..." Her voice broke a little. "We've got no one but each other."

"Aww," Dr. Thorn said. "Do not worry, little brats. You will be meeting my employer soon enough. Then you will have a brand-new family."

"Luke," I said. "You work for Luke."

Dr. Thorn's mouth twisted with distaste when I said the name of my old enemy—a former friend who'd tried to kill me several times. "You have no idea what is happening, Thalia Grace. I will let the General enlighten you. You are going to do him a great service tonight. He is looking forward to meeting you."

"The General?" I asked. Then I realized I'd said it with a French accent. "I mean... who's the General?"

Thorn looked toward the horizon. "Ah, here we are. Your transportation."

I turned and saw a light in the distance, a searchlight over the sea. Then I heard the chopping of helicopter blades getting louder and closer.

"Where are you taking us?" Nico said.

"You should be honored, my boy. You will have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls."

"They're not dolls! They're figurines! And you can take your great army and—"

"Now, now," Dr. Thorn warned. "You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well... there are other uses for half-bloods. We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway."

"The Great what?" I asked. Anything to keep him talking while I tried to figure out a plan.

"The stirring of monsters." Dr. Thorn smiled evilly. "The worst of them, the most powerful, are now waking. Monsters that have not been seen in thousands of years. They will cause death and destruction the likes of which mortals have never known. And soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus!"

"Okay," Bianca whispered to me. "He's completely nuts."

"We have to jump off the cliff," I told her quietly. "Into the sea."

"Oh, super idea. You're completely nuts, too."

I never got the chance to argue with her, because just then an invisible force slammed into me.

Looking back on it, Annabeth's move was brilliant. Wearing her cap of invisibility, she plowed into the Di Angelos and me, knocking us to the ground. For a split second, Dr. Thorn was taken by surprise, so his first volley of missiles zipped harmlessly over our heads. This gave Percy and Grover a chance to advance from behind—Percy wielding his magic sword, Anaklusmos.

If you've never seen Percy run into battle, you have never been truly frightened. He uses a huge sword that expands from this pen that hangs onto his jade bracelet, but that's not the scary part. His shield is modeled after one his brother uses—both named Tsunami—a gift from his half brother, Tyson and his friends who work in Poseidon's forges. The shield has the head of a sea serpent molded into the bronze, and even though it won't bite you into pieces, it's so horrible, most people will panic and run at the sight of it, much like my shield, Aegis.

Even Dr. Thorn winced and growled when he saw it.

Percy moved in with his sword. "For Poseidon!"

I thought Dr. Thorn was a goner. Percy swiped at his head, but he snarled and swatted the sword aside. His hand changed into an orange paw, with enormous claws that sparked against Percy's shield as he slashed. If it hadn't been for Tsunami, Percy would've been sliced like a loaf of bread. As it was, he managed to roll backward and land on his feet.

The sound of the helicopter was getting louder behind me, but I didn't dare look.

Dr. Thorn launched another volley of missiles at Percy, and this time I could see how he did it. He had a tail—a leathery, scorpionlike tail that bristled with spikes at the tip. The missiles deflected off Tsunami, but the force of their impact knocked Percy down.

Grover sprang forward. He put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play—a frantic jig that sounded like something pirates would dance to. Grass broke through the snow. Within seconds, rope-thick weeds were wrapping around Dr. Thorn's legs, entangling him.

Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew larger until he was in his true form—his face still human, but his body that of a huge lion. His leathery, spiky tail whipped deadly thorns in all directions.

"A manticore!" Annabeth said, now visible. Her magical New York Yankees cap had come off when she'd plowed into us.

"Who are you people?" Bianca Di Angelo demanded. "And what is that?"

"A manticore?" Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!"

I didn't know what he was talking about, but I didn't have time to worry about it. The manticore clawed Grover's magic weeds to shreds then turned toward us with a snarl.

"Get down!" Annabeth pushed the Di Angelos flat into the snow. At the last second, I remembered my own shield. I hit my bracelet, and metal plating spiraled out into a thick silver shield. Not a moment too soon. The thorns impacted against it with such force they dented the metal. The beautiful shield, a gift from my father, was badly damaged. I wasn't sure it would even stop a second volley.

I heard a thwack and a yelp, and Grover landed next to me with a thud.

"Yield!" the monster roared.

"Never!" Percy yelled from across the field. He charged the monster, and for a second, I thought he would run him through. But then there was a thunderous noise and a blaze of light from behind us. The helicopter appeared out of the mist, hovering just beyond the cliffs. It was a sleek black military-style gunship, with attachments on the sides that looked like laser-guided rockets. The helicopter had to be manned by mortals, but what was it doing here? How could mortals be working with a monster? The searchlights blinded Percy, and the manticore swatted him away with its tail. His shield flew off into the snow. His sword flew in the other direction.

"No!" I ran out to help him. I parried away a spike just before it would've hit his chest. I raised my shield over us, but I knew it wouldn't be enough.

Dr. Thorn laughed. "Now do you see how hopeless it is? Yield, little heroes."  
>We were trapped between a monster and a fully armed helicopter. We had no chance. Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.<p>

The manticore froze. For a moment, no one moved. There was only the swirl of snow and wind and the chopping of the helicopter blades.

"No," Dr. Thorn said. "It cannot be—"

His sentence was cut short when something shot past me like a streak of moonlight. A glowing silver arrow sprouted from Dr. Thorn's shoulder.

He staggered backward, wailing in agony.

"Curse you!" Thorn cried. He unleashed his spikes, dozens of them at once, into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It almost looked like the arrows had intercepted the thorns in midair and sliced them in two, but my eyes must've been playing tricks on me. No one, not even Apollo's kids at camp, could shoot with that much accuracy.

The manticore pulled the arrow out of his shoulder with a howl of pain. His breathing was heavy. I tried to swipe at him with my spear, but he wasn't as injured as he looked. He dodged my attack and slammed his tail into my shield, knocking me aside.

Then the archers came from the woods. They were girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest was maybe ten. The oldest, about fourteen, like me. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans, and they were all armed with bows. They advanced on the manticore with determined expressions.

"The Hunters!" Percy cried.

Annabeth muttered, "Oh, wonderful." I didn't have a chance to ask what she meant.

One of the older archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. "Permission to kill, my lady?"

I couldn't tell who she was talking to, because she kept her eyes on the manticore.

The monster wailed. "This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws."

"Not so," another girl said. This one was a little younger than me, maybe twelve or thirteen. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it made me catch my breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."

The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!"

He lunged at Percy and me, knowing we were weak and dazed.

"No.'" Annabeth yelled, and she charged at the monster.

"Get back, half-blood!" the girl with the circlet said. "Get out of the line of fire!"

But Annabeth leaped onto the monster's back and drove her knife into his mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles with his tail flailing as Annabeth hung on for dear life.

"Fire!" Zoe ordered.

"No!"


	3. Chapter 3

But the Hunters let their arrows fly. The first caught the manticore in the neck. Another hit his chest. The manticore staggered backward, wailing, "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!"

And before anyone could react, the monster went to leap over the cliff. Before anything could happen, however, Percy ran at the beast, pushing Annabeth off and clinging to her dagger and was plunged into darkness.

"Percy!" I yelled.  
>I started to run after him, but our enemies weren't done with us. There was a <em>snap-snap-<em>_snap _from the helicopter—the sound of gunfire.

Most of the Hunters scattered as tiny holes appeared in the snow at their feet, but the girl with auburn hair just looked up calmly at the helicopter.

"Mortals," she announced, "are not allowed to witness my hunt."

She thrust out her hand, and the helicopter exploded into dust—no, not dust. The black metal dissolved into a flock of birds—ravens, which scattered into the night.

The Hunters advanced on us.

The one called Zoe stopped short when she saw Annabeth. "You," she said with distaste.

"Zoe Nightshade." Annabeth's voice trembled with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady."

"Yes," the younger girl said. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

"Percy!" I yelled. "You have to let us save him!"

The auburn-haired girl turned toward me. "I'm sorry, Thalia Grace, but your friend is beyond help."

I tried to struggle to my feet, but a couple of the girls held me down.

"You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs," the auburn-haired girl said.

"Let me go!" I demanded. "Who do you think you are?"

Zoe stepped forward as if to smack me.

"No," the other girl ordered. "I sense no disrespect, Zoe. She is simply distraught. She does not understand."

The young girl looked at me, her eyes colder and brighter than the winter moon. "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt."

BIANCA DI ANCELO MAKES A CHOICE

After seeing Dr. Thorn turn into a monster and plummet off the edge of a cliff with Percy, you'd think nothing else could shock me. But when this twelve-year-old girl told me she was the goddess Artemis, I said something real intelligent like, "Um... okay."

That was nothing compared to Grover. He gasped, then knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! You're so... you're so... Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" Annabeth snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Percy is gone!"

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out."

Everybody looked at her. She pointed her finger at all of us in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who... who are you people?"

Artemis's expression softened."It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you!Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but..."

She faltered. I guess she could tell from our faces that we didn't believe her.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned, like she was reading from a really old book. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian... athlete?"

"No," Zoe said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—"

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

As anxious as I felt about Percy—all I wanted to do was search for him—I couldn't help feeling sorry for the Di Angelos. I remembered what it was like for me when I first learned I was a demigod.

Annabeth must've been feeling something similar, because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well... Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the boy who fell."

Annabeth turned away. Even Artemis looked pained.

"Do not despair for Percy," the goddess said. "For once, a male did something honorable, Saving a maiden."

"Then why won't you let us go look for him?" I asked.

"He is gone. Can't you sense it, Daughter of Zeus? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."

I still wanted to jump off the cliff and search for him, but I had a feeling that Artemis was right. Percy was gone.

"Oo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?"

"He was a manticore," Artemis said. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they reappear."

"Or they'll hunt us," Annabeth said.

Bianca di Angelo shivered. "That explains... Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in DC?"

"And that bus driver," Nico said. "The one with the ram's horns. I told you that was real."

"That's why Grover has been watching you," I said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

"Grover?" Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his goat hooves. I thought Bianca was going to faint right there.

"Grover, put your shoes back on," Annabeth said. "You're freaking her out."

"Hey, my hooves are clean!"

"Bianca," I said, "we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?" she asked.

"Camp Half-Blood," I said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.

"Wait," Bianca shook her head. "I don't—"

"There is another option," Zoe said.

"No, there isn't!" Annabeth said.

Annabeth and Zoe glared at each other. I didn't know what they were talking about, but I could tell there was bad history between them. For some reason, they seriously hated each other.

"We've burdened these children enough," Artemis announced. "Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady."

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" Nico asked.

Artemis considered the boy. "Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while... as a favor to me?"

Grover just about tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico!"

Nico and Grover walked off toward the woods, talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff. Artemis led a confused-looking Bianca along the cliff. The Hunters began unpacking their knapsacks and making camp.

Zoe gave Annabeth one more evil look, then left to oversee things.

As soon as she was gone, Annabeth stamped her foot in frustration. "The nerve of those Hunters! They think they're so... Argh!"

"I'm with you," I said. "I don't trust—"

"Oh, you're with me?" Annabeth turned on me furiously. "What were you thinking back there in the gym, Thalia? You'd take on Dr. Thorn all by yourself? You knew he was a monster!"

"If we'd stuck together, we could've taken him without the Hunters getting involved. Percy might still be here. Did you think of that?"

My jaw clenched. I thought of some harsh things to say, and I might've said them too, but then I looked down and saw something navy blue lying in the snow at my feet. Percy's other magical items-a Green Day cap that turned you invisible-much like Annabeth's New York Yankees cap.

Annabeth didn't say another word. She wiped a tear from her cheek, turned, and marched off, leaving me alone with a trampled cap in the snow.

The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats, completely unafraid, but I decided I would stick close to the tents. Falcons watched us from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight, and I got the feeling they were on guard duty, too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess's will. The air was still cold, but the wind died down and the snow stopped falling, so it was almost pleasant sitting by the fire.

Almost... except for the pain in my shoulder and the guilt weighing me down. I couldn't believe Percy was gone. And as angry as I was at Annabeth, I had a sinking feeling that she was right. It was my fault.

What had Percy wanted to tell me in the gym? Something serious, he'd said. Now I might never find out. I thought about how we'd danced together for half a song, and my heart felt even heavier.

I watched Annabeth pacing in the snow at the edge of camp, walking among the wolves without fear. She stopped and looked back at Westover Hall, which was now completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods. I wondered what she was thinking.

Seven years ago, exactly when Percy was turned into a tree, Annabeth came to Camp Half-Blood. Sometimes she acted so childish, you would think she was still that age.

Finally, one of the Hunters brought me my backpack. Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover helped me fix up my wounded arm.

"It's green!" Nico said with delight.

"Hold still," Grover told me. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out."

I winced as he dressed the wound, but the ambrosia square helped. It tasted like homemade brownie, dissolving in my mouth and sending a warm feeling through my whole body. Between that and the magic salve Grover used, my shoulder felt better within a couple of minutes.

Nico rummaged through his own bag, which the Hunters had apparently packed for him, though how they'd snuck into Westover Hall unseen, I didn't know. Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow—little battle replicas of Greek gods and heroes. I recognized Zeus with a lightning bolt, Ares with a spear, Apollo with his sun chariot.

"Big collection," I said.

Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?

"Just this year. Before that..." He knit his eyebrows.

"What?" I asked.

"I forget. That's weird."

He looked unsettled, but it didn't last long. "Hey, can I see that spear you were using?"

I showed him and explained how it turned from a Mace Container into a spear just by clicking a button on the side of it.

"Cool! Does it ever run out of water?"

"Um, well, I don't actually drink from it."

"Are you really the Daughter of Zeus?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you pilot really well, then?"

I looked at Grover, who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Jeez, Nico," I said. "I've never really tried."

He went on asking questions. Did I fight a lot with Annabeth? (I didn't answer that one.) If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than let Percy fall off the cliff? (I tried not to strangle Nico for asking that one.) Was Percy my boyfriend? (At this point, I was ready to stick the kid in a meat-flavored sack and throw him to the wolves.)

I figured any second he was going to ask me how many hit points I had, and I'd lose my cool completely, but then Zoe Nightshade came up to us.

* * *

><p>"Thalia Grace."<p>

She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose. With her silver circlet and her proud expression, she looked so much like royalty that I had to resist the urge to sit up straight and say "Yes, ma'am." She studied me distastefully, like I was a bag of dirty laundry she'd been sent to fetch.

"Come with me," she said. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

Zoë led me to the last tent, which looked no different from the others, and waved me inside. Bianca di Angelo was seated next to the auburn-haired girl, who I still had trouble thinking of as Artemis.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others I didn't recognize. I figured an animal rights activist would've had a heart attack looking at all those rare skins, but maybe since Artemis was the goddess of the hunt, she could replenish whatever she shot. I thought she had another animal pelt lying next to her, and then I realized it was a live animal—a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in Artemis's lap.

"Join us, Thalia Grace," the goddess said.

I sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied me, which made me uncomfortable. She had such old eyes for a young girl.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh... a little."

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" I asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh."

Zoë sat down at Artemis's right. She glanced at me as if to say; _Se__e, silly? Boys are for losers! Leave them to the dust and join us! The hunters that take away men's manhood with no mercy or remorse!_

Yeah. I wasn't gonna budge.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "My hunters do not except girls that are friends with boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp..." She looked at Zoë. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Thalia, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the... mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

And so I told her.

When I was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow. "I feared this was the answer."

Zoë sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" I asked.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."

She stared at me intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoë's face paled. She turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying," I said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded. "We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As... as you wish, my lady."

"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by the winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" I asked.

Artemis gripped her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddesses pray?" I asked, because I'd never really thought about that.

A flicker of a smile played across Artemis's lips. "Before I go, Thalia Grace, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve turning men into jackalopes?"

"Sadly, no. I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

"What?" Zoë blurted out. "But, Artemis, we hate that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis said. "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

Zoë muttered something about foolish campers.

"And now there is one last decision to make." Artemis turned to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitated. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Wait," I said. "Thinking about what?"

"They... they've invited me to join the Hunt."

"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."

"It is not the only way for a girl," Zoë said.

I couldn't believe I was hearing this. "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and... I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"

"To begin with," Zoë said, "immortality."

I stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?"

"Zoë rarely kids about anything," Artemis said. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal... unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."

"What oath?" I said.

"To foreswear romantic love forever," Artemis said. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."

"Like you?"

The goddess nodded.

I tried to imagine what she was saying. Being immortal. Hanging out with only middle- school girls forever. I couldn't get my mind around it. "So you just go around the country recruiting half-bloods—"

"Not just half-bloods," Zoë interrupted. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"

"Which are you, then?"

Anger flashed in Zoë's eyes. "That is not thy concern. The point is Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."

"Bianca, this is crazy," I said. "What about your brother? Nico can't be a Hunter."

"Certainly not," Artemis agreed. "He will go to camp. Unfortunately, that's the best boys can do."

"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca. "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camp counselors to take care of him. And you will have a new family. Us."

"A new family," Bianca repeated dreamily. "Free of responsibility."

"Bianca, you can't do this," I said. "It's nuts."

She looked at Zoë. "Is it worth it?"

Zoë nodded. "It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoë told her, " 'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"

"I... I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"

Bianca repeated the lines. "That's it?"

Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis said.

The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the room. Bianca looked no different, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. "I feel... stronger."

"Welcome, sister," Zoë said.

"Remember your pledge," Artemis said. "It is now your life."

I couldn't speak. I felt like a trespasser. And a complete failure. I couldn't believe I'd come all this way and suffered so much only to lose Bianca to some eternal girls' club.

"Do not despair, Thalia Grace," Artemis said. "You will still get to show the Di Angelos your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there."

"Great," I said, trying not to sound surly. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

Zoë didn't look real happy about this idea, but she nodded and told Bianca to follow her. As she was leaving, Bianca paused in front of me. "I'm sorry, Thalia. But I want this. I really, really do."

Then she was gone, and I was left alone with the twelve-year-old goddess.

"So," I said glumly. "We're going to get a ride from your brother, huh?"

Artemis's silver eyes gleamed. "Yes. You see, Bianca di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It's time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."

* * *

><p>Artemis assured us that dawn was coming, but you could've fooled me. It was colder and darker and snowier than ever. Up on the hill, Westover Hall's windows were completely lightless. I wondered if the teachers had even noticed the Di Angelos and Dr. Thorn were missing yet. I didn't want to be around when they did. With my luck, the only name Mrs. Gottschalk would remember was 'Thalia Grace,' and then I'd be the subject of a nationwide manhunt... again.<p>

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I stood shivering in the snow (unlike the Hunters, who didn't seem to feel at all uncomfortable), and Artemis stared into the east like she was expecting something. Bianca sat off to one side, talking with Nico. I could tell from his gloomy face that she was explaining her decision to join the Hunt. I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.

Annabeth and Grover came up and huddled around me, anxious to hear what had happened in my audience with the goddess.

When I told them, Grover turned pale. "The last time the Hunters visited camp, it didn't go well."

"How'd they even show up here?" I wondered. "I mean, they just appeared out of nowhere."

"And Bianca joined them," Annabeth said, disgusted. "It's all Zoë's fault. That stuck-up, no good—"

"Who can blame her?" Grover said. "Eternity with Artemis?" He heaved a big sigh.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You satyrs. You're all in love with Artemis. Don't you get that she'll never love you back?"

"But she's so... into nature," Grover swooned.

"You're nuts," said Annabeth.

"Nuts and berries," Grover said dreamily. "Yeah."

Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I asked.

"For my brother. Yes."

I didn't want to be rude. I mean, I knew the legends about Apollo—or sometimes Helios—driving a big sun chariot across the sky. But I also knew that the sun was really a star about a zillion miles away. I'd gotten used to some of the Greek myths being true, but still... I didn't see how Apollo could drive the sun.

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis said, like she was reading my mind.

"Oh, okay." I started to relax. "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—" There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth.

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

_Parks?_


End file.
